The gospel of John opens in John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and in John 1:3 “All things came into being through him”. It is God acting on our behalf, it is God, the Word, who in John 1:14 “became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth”. Yet the world did not know him, the world did not recognize him. But some, like Nathanael did and in every generation some have and in John 1:12–13 “as many as received him—to those who believe in his name—he gave to them authority to become children of God, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a husband, but of God”.
In the Beginning was the Word
John 1:1–9
The gospel of John doesn’t begin with a salutation or description of the writer, it begins with the central message of Christianity that “the Word became flesh and took up residence among us” in John 1:14. John starts in the first sentence saying in John 1:1 “In the beginning … God”. This work that Jesus Christ came to do, reconciling humanity to God, wasn’t an afterthought, and it wasn’t the last resort because Jesus, the Word, was there from the beginning. Paul said it this way in
1 Corinthians 2:7 but we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory,
John introduces Jesus Christ as “the true light” that has now entered the world in
John 1:9 The true light, who gives light to every person, was coming into the world.
As Many As Received Him
John 1:10–18
John the writer, and John the Baptist both testify that Jesus is the one, not just savior, but also the creator in
John 1:3 All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being that has come into being.
Yet, Jesus entered into a dark world and in
John 1:10–11 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, and the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to his own things, and his own people did not receive him.
We only know the world through our experience and as we know it, the natural state of the world is fallen, dark, separated from God. Later, John says this in
1 John 5:19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
Jesus came not only to bring light but He is light. There is a whole new relationship that we enter into when we receive Jesus Christ and by God’s action for us through Jesus Christ we “become children of God” as it says in
John 1:12–13 But as many as received him—to those who believe in his name—he gave to them authority to become children of God, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a husband, but of God.
Make Straight the Way of the Lord
John 1:19–28
The Lamb of God
John 1:29–34
We Have Found the Messiah
You Are the Son of God!
John 1:43–51
John the Baptist had been declaring the coming of the Lord and Andrew, “heard John and followed him” in John 1:40. It is clear that Andrew and Peter had been seeking the Lord because in
John 1:41 This one first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated “Christ”).
but Andrew didn’t just tell Peter about finding “Christ”, “He brought him to Jesus” in John 1:41. As Jesus is gathering these men together, they each are coming to a personal recognition that Jesus is the Christ. And, while Andrew was filled with excitement, when “Philip found Nathaniel” in John 1:45, Nathanael reacted with a very worldly jaded and negative comment. In his response, “Nathanael was contemptuous. There was nothing in the Old Testament which foretold that God’s chosen one should come from Nazareth. Nazareth was a quite undistinguished place. Nathanael himself came from Cana, another Galilaean town, and, in country places, jealousy between town and town, and rivalry between village and village, is notorious”.1
Nathanael’s reaction may have simply been a recognition of the small size of Nazareth but likely goes deeper, “As Galileans were frequently despised by people from Judea, so it appears that even fellow Galileans despised Nazareth. Nathanael’s scathing question probably reflects more than local rivalry between villages”.2
How often do we judge people based on their place of birth or cultural background, yet as Nathanael meets Jesus, all of his prejudice falls away. Nathanael sees Jesus for who he is in
John 1:49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the king of Israel!”
Study Verses
- John 1:1–9 In the Beginning was the Word
- John 1:10–18 As Many As Received Him
- John 1:43–51 You Are the Son of God!
Today’s Reading
- John 1:1-51
References
- 1. Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of John (Rev. and updated., Vol. 1, pp. 107–108). Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press.
- 2. Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 160). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.